Additional charge against Guelph’s Jeffrey Dakin

Guelph Mercury

GUELPH — Prominent local live theatre proponent Jeffrey Dakin, charged with a variety of sex crimes, faces a further charge, an Ontario Court of Justice heard Monday.

Justice John Payne was told Dakin, 39, has been charged with luring a person under the age of 18 over the Internet. The charge predates his being released on bail earlier this year and was sworn by authorities on Dec. 14.

The matter came up Monday during continuation of a judicial pretrial into charges against Dakin, former vice-president of the Guelph Little Theatre.

City police charged the actor and producer with 14 offences involving underage youths last March and subsequently laid 10 additional charges. They include sexual assault, luring and sexual interference.

The new charge brings the total to 25.

On Monday, the case was put over to Feb. 11 for further judicial pretrial proceedings.

Some of the alleged victims are from Guelph, while some are residents of other communities, including Waterloo Region and Thunder Bay.